For my post #30,623:

[Buzz Clik]

[WilliamPitt]

1. . . . . .

[morningfog]

2. Is this a cryptic GBCW post?

[quinnox]

3. the drama of it all

Two "goodbye cruel world" threads in as many days, and who knows, maybe more to come?

Though I do appreciate the cryptic style of this one, better than the blunt approach. Heck, maybe it is really just a vacation notification, who can say for sure.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. I do hate to see GBCW posts...I presume this isn't one

But it is disheartening to see so many good, long-time posters and friends hounded off the board by a pack of bullying scumbags.

A shame.

[mick063]

35. Bullying scumbags use pepper spray

If it is a word fight, folks with tens of thousands of posts worth of experience should theoretically have the upper hand.

[BeyondGeography]

5. Bummer...I hope you re-appear sometime soon enough

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Some necessary popcorn is in order

But seriously, stay safe...wherever you go

[BeyondGeography]

12. Some honesty would be good, too

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023043831

Still believe we are all either constitutionalists or authoritarians?

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Yup

Any other questions? And the divide is growing much deeper n

[BeyondGeography]

17. The OP prefers to live in an authoritarian state, so, no loss, right?

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. You are trying to do something I find quite disgusting

And you won't get it. Sorry

Wise to the ways of the ....

[BeyondGeography]

19. Actually, this is what was disgusting

But truly this is a conflict between constitutionalists, who know freedom can be risky, and have one risks to it, and those who prefer to live under an authoritarian state. This is exactly what we are seeing. And all insults will not change this.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. I suspect truth is disgusting

Sorry if it hurts so much.

I will give you props for trying.

[BeyondGeography]

21. It is nice that you are cordial to the OP's in these farewell threads

Even if it's not entirely truthful.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Why are you trying to push buttons?

It's obvious...like real obvious...like clear as day?

At this point hand me some

[Sheepshank]

7. yes...this is it

alluded to in another thread....and a sad confirmation of the orchestrated bullying, yammering and hammering currently underway at DU.

Safe journey.

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Saw an outright call-out and personal attack stand yesterday, 0-6

It wasn't me alerting, but I alerted on it after that decision had already been made so I got the notice without the details. It wasn't even a close call as a personal attack: it named a poster (who had not even posted in the thread!), attacked that poster at least four times in a paragraph, suggested that the poster was a troll, then attacked the poster again. Unprovoked and completely outside the thread of the conversation. 0-6 to keep. That's a failed system, pure and simple.

A few days ago there was an open call-out thread. It called out another DU poster by name (by name in the OP!), twice, and mocked that person. This wouldn't have lasted 10 minutes with moderators. What came next was worse: a pack of like-minded folks came on to that thread to join in the mockery and personal attacks: at least 20 and probably closer to 30 responding posts were straight out personal attacks or high-fiving over another poster's personal attack. It was a spectacle of pack bullying that I haven't seen the like of since junior high school - astounding. The OP survived the jury 4-2. An open call-out by name! No other post was removed.

I've seen some on the other GBCW thread (still_one's) suggest that people leaving simply can't stand disagreement. That's outright bullshit. As Will Pitt noted the other day, there has always been disagreement and even some good ole fashion street-fighting on this board, and that's a good thing. What is shocking to many long-time posters is the absolute evacuation of any standards that used to bottle the ends of all that disagreement, that used to keep it focused at least somewhat on policy, whatever factions might have arisen. The gaming of the jury systems by factions is a disgrace, and a pure display of an absolute lack of ethics - people voting for their "team" regardless of behavior.

That is what's unacceptable, and that can only be addressed by the owners of this board. The system they invented for DU3 has failed utterly.

[Sheepshank]

9. Agreed +1

Last edited Sun Jul 7, 2013, 12:00 PM - Edit history (1)

and without an overhaul, the same persons that are attacking in one thread are picked as jury members on another. Utterly ridiculous.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. +1

I think I saw you initially about to comment on my post in the other thread.

The jury system often gets skewed - probably during a time when the disruptor herd is online. The ad hominem attack post is then planted, someone alerts, and the jury ends up with a large contingent of them disallowing the hide, allowing the ad hominem to stand without further review - with full blown insults directed at the victim poster.

Interestingly, within the past couple weeks, there was a supposed "glitch" in the jury system where in the heat of discussions, a number of folks with "100% chance" for call-up (including myself), who were routinely called for jury duty once and sometimes twice a day across various forums, hadn't had a call for a couple weeks. This issue was posted about in Ask the Administrator and supposedly the issue was discovered and "fixed".

Makes one wonder.

Agree that there needs to be a review of DU3 and ways to allow free conversation and even heated arguments, without personal attacks being allowed to stand. E.g., a "personal attack" alert should go a Moderator. All other types could go to a jury, and "off topic" posts should be considered alertable (by jury).

[morningfog]

14. Here is something you and I agree on completely.

The jury system is a failure. There is no consistency and no real enforcement of community standards. There is no oversight and in creates an environment of insult and attack rather than discussion and debate.

[alcibiades_mystery]

32. I suspect we agree on a lot more than that

But that the jury system is an astounding failure that is ruining the environment on this board is obvious to anyone who is 1) honest and 2) familiar with the old system.

[Lizzie Poppet]

37. Hear, hear.

The jury system is a laughable, broken joke. I'd venture to say the majority of people serving base their vote on whether or not they agree with the alerted post, on their opinion of the alerted poster, or some combination thereof. If it's not the majority, it's a large enough minority to turn the system to utter shit.

[Union Scribe]

15. "people voting for their "team" regardless of behavior"

So that's a bad thing now? Oh the irony.

[KittyWampus]

24. there used to be a website where DU misfits congregated. Someone pointed out to me that it'd closed

I left DU for a long time (years). Did it quietly as many old timers tend to do.

Hadn't thought of that website at all until someone reminded me.

So it might, in part, be Zombies on our lawn.

But yes, I've seen outright call-outs and brutal personal attacks by packs of people.

Moderators in DU v.1 and DU v.2 would've never allowed it to get to this point.

[stevenleser]

27. I think that is what happened. The OET asylum went belly up and the inmates are here. There are a

lot of posters with less than 2-3000 posts that are clearly refugees from there. The ugly and poisonous tone from that website has come here with them. Once you put a few dozen folks on ignore, it stops.

[Luminous Animal]

34. People keep saying that but in the other thread a DUer provided a link... a clicked on it

and found the site is still live and people are still posting.

[KittyWampus]

41. it's back up… maybe someone paid a bill. Good for those who enjoy it.

[flamingdem]

38. As I noted to Atomickitten

It looks like Pompeii over there at the old site.

So the survivors need to trek back here I suppose.

Sad about people leaving DU

[Number23]

39. I alerted on that call out thread. It was beyond obvious that it was a call out

The OP made it pretty clear that he was calling someone out. The person who was called out let it be known that they knew they were being called out. And yet, hosts refused to lock it.

On DU2, there were rules that you couldn't start OPs to attract attention to other posters or to other threads. But here, if certain folks do it, it not only is allowed to stand by juries, hosts won't lock it and you'll get 150+ recs if you're slamming the "right" posters/beliefs.

And you're right, between the bullying, the call outs, the swarming (where as many as 12-15 different posters will respond to one person who dare says something that the horde doesn't like), the hosts who have clearly taken sides, and the juries that let so much slide, I agree that DU3 is gross and has been for a while.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

10. Do you want to leave, or do you want us to discuss why you want to leave?

You act as though you want some discussion on the matter. So what's up?

[Safetykitten]

16. Well, this person knows trolls, sockpuppets and can call them out with impunity...even if

absolutely, positively wrong.

And on edit...Have fun calling out others that are completely innocent of what you and your "pals" think they are. That should keep you very busy.

[Agschmid]

23. That was dramatic...

Sad to see people go... The board will continue on but I always enjoyed your input.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

25. Bon Voyage. Make sure your plane doesn't fly over Austria.

[quinnox]

30. lol, just stop

[stevenleser]

26. I wish you wouldn't. DU can be made normal with a good ignore list and hidden terms.

PM me for details, a number of us are handling the situation that way.

[Snotcicles]

28. .

DISAPOIN?

[Brother Buzz]

29. Thank you for the PM

[CakeGrrl]

31. Score another one for the echo chamber

It'll be one less set of 'marching orders', Hyuk-yuk-yuk.

[MineralMan]

33. Hmph! Too bad.

I'll miss your posts.

[WilliamPitt]

36. I quote myself.

"I was here before you came, and I'll be here after you're gone."

Some Nostradamus shit right there.

You know, or not.

[BainsBane]

40. Could you PM me too

with the location?

[onehandle]

42. Let me know too.

The universe is putting large moons in my dreams.

Something is not right.